A longfelt need in the art of wheelchair design is the need to improve wheelchair maneuverability. It has long been known that a reduction in weight aids in obtaining such an improvement, however, such weight reductions are typically accompanied by unacceptable losses in structural rigidity.
It has also been known to design wheelchair frames so as to orient a user's weight on the wheelchair in a manner favorable to improved maneuverability. Such frames, however, often require expensive manufacturing techniques and materials in order to provide a suitably configured frame without unacceptable weight increases.
Another longfelt need in the art of wheelchair design is the need to provide a wheelchair that is universally adjustable to accommodate the widest variety of users for the widest variety of uses. This need has lead to numerous wheelchair designs that, while offering the desired adjustability, have the disadvantage of numerous supplementary parts and pieces. These extra parts and pieces increase the wheelchair weight and often require the user to carry specific tools in order to carry out desired adjustments.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a wheelchair that addresses these longfelt needs in wheelchair design.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a wheelchair that is highly maneuverable without unacceptable loss in structural rigidity.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a wheelchair that is highly maneuverable and is lightweight.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a wheelchair that is universally adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of users and a wide variety of uses.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a wheelchair that is easily adjustable with a minimum of tools.